Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Temple, TX?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.7% of gross income.

Temple rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas state estimate).

Temple median rent
$1,400/mo
Bus Driver salary (Texas)
$51,302/yr
Rent as % of income
32.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,275, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,283/mo in rent. Temple's median rent of $1,400 exceeds that threshold by $117/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 56.8 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Texas cities have lower median rent than Temple, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Ingleside, TX
$1,399/mo (32.7% of income)
Hudson Oaks, TX
$1,399/mo (32.7% of income)
Kingsville, TX
$1,399/mo (32.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Temple

View full rent data for Temple, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Temple, TX?

Median rent in Temple is $1,400 a month. A typical bus driver in Texas earns about $51,302 a year, which makes that rent 32.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Temple?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Texas (~$51,302/yr) supports up to $1,283 a month in rent. Temple's current median rent is $1,400/mo, which is $117/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Temple?

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Texas works roughly 56.8 hours a month to cover Temple's median rent of $1,400.

Where is rent cheaper than Temple for a bus driver?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Ingleside ($1,399/mo), Hudson Oaks ($1,399/mo), Kingsville ($1,399/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Texas state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Temple, TX. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.